I never said I didn't
by jan.rover
Summary: Mikan knows Hotaru likes Ruka. Of course, she denies it. I suck at summaries, please just read the author's note before the story starts. A one-shot, RukaxHotaru story. Please reveiew! :


**I never Said I didn't**

* * *

A/N:

It's been a long time since my last RukaRu fanfiction, and I don't know if I'm still 'fit' enough for another. lol. Hmmm...this one started out as a "random paper" _—_that's what I call a document wherein I write all my random ideas/scenes/lines that I might use in writing a story regardless of the genre, category, whatever. It turned out that I was able to write two different stories of RukaRu, and when I started working on the other, I figured I couldn't. So I decided to put them together!

...

I don't know if that's a good idea or not, or if I'd be able to give justice to the characters (I hope I do!) especially Hotaru.. (sniff!)

So please...let me know if its' good or not.! :]

P.S.

Thanks for even bothering. Enjoy! :D

* * *

_His hair; his long eyelashes; his smooth, flawless, French skin; the graceful folds of his school uniform; his quiet, amused, expressions; the way he walks; even the way he spurted his orange juice on the floor when she told him she wanted to go to Central Town with him on this special day…all these were unbelievably tantalizing._

_She was nonchalant as she calmly set her things neatly on the table after working on an invention; and he was incredulous, still staring at her as she tried to ignore him for the moment—as if what she said wasn't something that was entirely out of the blue. _

_"Uh…" he muttered and cleared his throat as he tried to recover; sluggishly starting to clean the mess on the floor before she could even think of her Baka Gun v.5.610. She then looked at him, just in time when his lips pulled up to a smile. "Okay."_

_Would it be possible to at least try not to stare? Or maybe just try to be a little subtle about it? Not that anyone could actually notice her doing it, it's just that, even to her, it's entirely disturbing. Go figure —she's the one staring, and she thinks it's actually disturbing to her. Well, truth be told though easily denied, it's perfectly fine when he's the one doing it –this staring thing–at least she wouldn't feel out of character._

_Her eyebrow twitched despite her calm façade, and she realized how she finds it a little difficult not to look at him._

* * *

"So, Hotaru, you…_like_ Ruka-pyon?"

Hotaru Imai's dexterous hands twitched from the usual firm grip on the screw driver, causing the tiny bolt to fall onto the floor. If Mikan wasn't so busy trying—but failing—to solve the Rubik's cube, she would've been able to see the microscopic blush surfacing from the Ice Queen's perfect façade.

But Hotaru Imai wasn't about to play games with her best friend; and she thought, 'What the heck?', if she didn't want to answer, why would she? But she knew that wouldn't be the case this time.

Casually rising off her seat to look for the tiny bolt that jumped off her pale, genius hands, she muttered indifferently:

"Where did that come from, Baka?"

Mikan didn't even glance at her best friend as she grinned innocently and shrugged. "You know, here and there…"

Silence; at this, Mikan looked up as Hotaru turned her back on her again, regaining her previous position on her working desk after picking up the bolt. "So…do you like Ruka-pyon, Hotaru?"

"Last time I checked, you were the love-struck one, not me."

The brunette gaped at her best friend's back, her own cheeks reddening as well. Apparently, this part has been quite a sensitive topic lately since the Black Cat and Mikan finally started going out. "H-hey! Natsume and I…"

"I did not say anything about Hyuuga."

"B-but—" Mikan stuttered, then paused as she frowned. "Hey! Stop changing the topic, Hotaru!"

"What topic?"

"I was asking you if _you_ like Ruka-pyon."

"Ah. Weren't you?"

* * *

_The cool wind blew on her face as the bus went passed the slight vegetation on a ride to Central town. In the quiet hum of the bus' engine, she was perfectly aware of his even breathing as he dozed off. She leaned back from the open window and sat up straight, her eyes hovering over their laced hands. And of course, her face reddened to a faint blush._

_When was the last time she felt this? –Probably many times for the past year; but before that? –blushing would be a more far-off idea than designing a software that is likely to be as 'human' as the human mind._

_Huh?_

* * *

"U-huh..." Mikan murmured and stared again at the "impossibly difficult" cube on her hands. "So…do you?"

Hotaru fastened the chassis of her new invention and put it aside. She stared at it for a moment, wondering if there was any worth in trying to converse with her best friend—who was, apparently, suddenly interested with her love life. Why? Well, who could possibly know the exact trail of Mikan's thoughts?

Hmm, come to think of it, maybe because she had just had a boyfriend of her own—finally, since they were only a year and a half before graduation—or simply for the fact that Mikan was really born for the sole reason of annoying Hotaru.

Absentmindedly, she reached for a random blueprint and stared at it. Well, her best friend sure is annoying; but whether she liked it or not, there were times when Mikan was actually able to get her to rapid thinking. Moments when answering would mean 'giving in', and not answering would actually mean 'giving up'. Just like now.

* * *

_Why, Ice Queen? Is self-control so difficult now? That even looking away seems so impossible? No one could blame her, anyway, that she was sure of. It was 'him' were trying to talk about here. A few ladies glanced –no scratch that, stared –his way as they passed, but the idiot simply didn't notice anyone and anything besides her and whatever they were talking about (considering that they do talk about anything at the moment)._

_But she wasn't oblivious about those staring eyes. Unlike him, she had started to become really aware of those eyes than before. You see, back then, those staring eyes were no less than 'potential costumers'; but now? All of them were 'potential rivals' –which was utterly absurd 'because she knew how he was able to ignore them all. For all she knew, he was still afraid of his fan girls if it wasn't for her._

_ Walking with the person she'd never wasted a thought with before, she felt like she wanted to laugh bitterly as her old, rational thoughts slowly went down the drain; slap herself on the face for ending up pretty much like everyone else. Giddy._

* * *

"See? You can't even answer!" Mikan yelped excitedly and pulled her chair closer to Hotaru's side, kind of freaking her best friend out, who was practically with her but wasn't.

BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!—ah, there went the gun, yet again.

"Three feet radius, Baka; you're in my laboratory."

"Hotaru!"

She sighed and drew back the curtain, illuminating the slightly gloomy room in an instant. Unconsciously moving her eyes around, it was difficult not to look for something—or someone—specific.

Mikan crossed her arms on her chest and scooted closer to her best friend—despite Hotaru's mood—and leaned her back on the wall right beside the window. "So?"

"Well." Hotaru muttered and spotted something _yellow_ far across the grounds outside. "You're not dropping it, are you?"

* * *

_"You're not eating your cherry."_

_She looked up from her half-eaten ice cream, spoon on her mouth. "I don't like cherries."_

_He smiled. "I know." She raised an eyebrow as she watched him pick the cherry up from her ice cream and dangled it in front of her before putting it in his mouth. "Thanks."_

_She smirked and went back to eating; thinking of how the cherry might have felt ashamed of not being red, and luscious, and pretty enough to be spared with a brief stare before getting swallowed whole. Funny; since when did she care about the feelings of random cherries?_

* * *

"Why are you asking me this again?"

"Hmm." Mikan put a finger on her chin as she feigned thinking. "I just figured how fitting it would be for the both of you to…"

"Oh, please."

"Oh, come on!" Mikan wailed. "You how right I am, Hotaru!"

"….."

"Uh!" The brunette rolled her eyes huffed. "Say, Hotaru, don't you even think Ruka-pyon's _actually_ good-looking?"

"Well, he's blonde."

Mikan gaped at her best friend. "You're stating the obvious, Hotaru. That is so not you. And I should say, that ought to be dangerous."

"….."

"Aren't you even attracted to him? Even just for a bit?"

"That guy…" She muttered, quietly staring at the yellow head yards away from their dorm building. "_He_ pets a bunny. He's in _senior_ _high _and he pets a _bunny_."

* * *

_It was already high noon when they started to walk around the town together, randomly checking some stalls and other stuff. _

_"I see you don't have your pet, Bunny boy."_

_"Uh, would you have wanted him around?"_

_"No, stupid."_

_"Oh. But why— ah…" He blinked and stifled an amused smile, casually scooping her hand from her side. "I get it. You're jealous."_

* * *

"What? You hate him because he's got animal pheromone Alice?"

"He technically funds my projects with his pictures' sales, so…I don't actually _hate_ him. He's annoying."

"No, he's not." Mikan countered. "Ruka-pyon's gentle, and courteous, and—"

"Oh, I wonder how Hyuuga would want to hear your glory and praises for his best friend, who happened to be your admirer some years ago."

"…." Mikan stared incredulously at her best friend who now started to peruse her book on Electromagnetics. "Wow, Hotaru, you actually participated in this conversation, you know that? That means—"

"That means nothing. Now get out of my room before I exterminate you fully."

"Hmmf!" The brunette crossed her arms and mumbled under her breath: "I've never been this stubborn when I was the one in love."

"I am NOT in love, idiot."

"Go on denying it, Hotaru." She practically rolled her eyes at the Ice Queen and giggled, ignoring the accumulating black cloud of aura around her best friend who was glaring at her. "You'd admit it to me sooner or later, anyway."

* * *

_There was a tinge of purple on the now orange sky as they walked out of the school bus. It was quiet, the school grounds quite deserted than usual, and the wind was chilly as it blew. They had a foot distance as they walked, not a word exchanged—though that wasn't altogether something new to him, and was in fact, something he secretly enjoyed._

_The blonde guy had this small smile on his lips as he stole little glances at the Ice Queen, who was trying her best to stay oblivious about it. They didn't go out that much, so today was something that's really memorable. _

_"Man, they're heavy." He muttered absently as he lifted the bag of electronic supplies up and down, things she denied was the only reason why she wanted to go to Central town._

_"That's why you exist, remember? A delivery would cost double."_

_He saw a playful smirk on her lips, and he knew she was kidding. Yeah, the Ice Queen was kidding._

_"Oh, hey." He smirked and looked at her. "Mikan and I were talking about you yesterday."_

_"Like I care."_

_"Uh-huh." The blonde nodded appreciatively, ignoring the Ice Queen's sarcasm as he continued. "I didn't realize how you hated me back then, you know that?"_

_"Your pictures were best sellers. I didn't actually 'hate' you."_

_He rolled his eyes, partly because Mikan had already mentioned that to him, and partly because it rather sounded so nice when it came out from the Ice Queen herself. "And one more thing—"_

_"Remind me to torture Mikan later."_

_He chuckled and looked down, noticing that his shoelaces got out of their knot. "I just came to wonder how many times you actually told her you didn't like me…" he faltered slightly, surprised of the twinge of prodding pain."…and that— hang on." _

_She was ahead of him a few more steps before she noticed he stopped walking, and she stopped as well. Yet again, this was another chance to do the staring. Seconds count, you know. _

_It only took him a few seconds to tie the laces back to a tight knot, but this was rather enough for her to think of how fast things went about in their lives. It was only a year ago when she was cynical about the idea of 'the two of them', and yet now they had just got home from a rare date. It was only a year ago when she wouldn't even notice him greet her in the morning, yet lately she couldn't live by the morning not seeing him glance her way. Above all else, it was only a year ago when she denied to Mikan how he could actually look so good-looking._

_"There." He practically announced as he rose up, stomping his feet a little so that the hems of his pants would fall into gentle folds naturally above his shoes. He was about to pick up the bags when he noticed her slowly moving back towards him. He watched her move closer, shocking him with her small, creeping smile right there on the corners of her lips. _

_'Too late now', she thought. She swore if only she had her camera with her, his face would've made it to her top 10 best sellers right there and then. "You make a tomato rot in shame, you know that?"_

_He straightened up immediately as she neared, his hands falling lamely on his sides as she wrapped her fragile arms around his neck._

_"You might want to check again, Bunny boy; I never said I didn't."_

* * *

"Oh, I'm leaving, Hotaru." Mikan threw her arms exasperatedly after another ten minutes of persuasion and Hotaru just wouldn't give her what she wanted. "Go on with the denial. The truth is obvious anyway."

"Just go out."

"Fine." Mikan walked towards the door, feigning to stomp her foot in annoyance as Hotaru still stared at the school grounds by the window. But she had that triumphant grin on her face as she opened the door, knowing what and who exactly her best friend had been staring at. "Just remember not to have second thoughts when you realize how right I am in the first place."

And with that, Mikan closed the door behind her. Silence.

"Finally." She couldn't help but mutter to herself when the room was quiet at last.

She dared not think of everything Mikan had been babbling about, and when she was about to drape the curtain back, a flash of yellow suddenly turned to look her way.

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment –just a moment—she thought of the slight possibility that Mikan might be right. And to her surprise, as though he was thinking about the exact same thing, Ruka Nogi waved at her and smiled.

* * *

A/N: It's done! Please let me know if it's lame or not, or anything you'd want to tell me. It's basically a random idea I decided to put all in one, so I'd totally understand if you won't like it. Still, let me know and leave a review. :]


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